


Harry James Potter's mystery box

by SlySama



Series: Unfinished Works. [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 00:28:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14759186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlySama/pseuds/SlySama





	Harry James Potter's mystery box

‘~~Let’s start Potter.’ 

‘How about we finish it?’ These words were spoken with such finality, such strength and power that the beast reared back ever so slightly on the muddied grass—even more so as the power from the mere Seventeen-year-old grew exponentially in a matter of seconds. The aura from the teen deepened and darkened in shade as the borrowed wand lifted into the air with a spark of a raw magic. ‘You are done, Tom. This whole thing is done. You’re finished. Once and for all.’ It was a growl into the silence of his raw power, into the deepening nightfall and sputtering, burning castle around them. 

‘No, I think not.’ 

The words were a hiss, barely distinguishable over the splintering cracking stone behind them, around them. 

‘I think yes.’ The teens words were no less distinguishable to others petering around to watch the scene unfold, but the tone of which he spoke had grown to an even deeper growl and if only subtly, his appearance began to shift as his wand sparked and his aura practically crackled around him, licking at his tattered clothes, at the cracked stone beneath his boots, even the beast before him knew something had changed within the boy, something extraordinary had shifted and his very life might very well actually be in danger here. 

Chapter I.   
Harry sighed as he looked himself in the mirror, tilting his head this way and that, turning his body left to right then back the other way, trying to determine if you could really notice the differences in his appearance or if he would have to glamour himself before he started his “Eighth” Year of Hogwarts that same day—two hours from now. 

He breathed out again and watched as the mirror slightly misted over and then returned to its prior state. Shifting his footing he began to get dressed in the new clothes he’d seen fit to buy some weeks ago, newer and nicer though probably not something all-together entirely suitable for the “Saviour of the wizarding world” to wear out in public. He liked them though, so he’d decided he would. 

KNOCK  
KNOCK

‘Potter.’ 

Harry shuffled and muttered beneath his breath with a wave of his hand as he stepped up to the bathroom door, the spell falling over him like a veil and concealing his changed appearance. He then opened the door with a tired and slightly put-out expression. ‘Yes?’ 

‘You aren’t the only one that needs the bathroom this morning Potter, move.’ He was shoved roughly to the side then with a sweeping curious glance that followed his cousin across the hall to his bedroom, Harry slightly smirked at Dudley as he closed the door with a bang. Within, he turned around and surveyed the small room that his relatives had been scared into giving to him when his first Hogwarts Letter’s proclaimed he lived under the stairs. He puffed out a breath as he began to collect what possessions he had within and dump them into his trunk only slightly avoiding eye contact with the empty cage in the corner even as he picked it up and tucked it beneath his arm and stepped back outside, ready to head down those stairs, say his goodbyes for whatever they were worth and leave for good. 

||

‘Goodbye.’ It was one worded and his hands were in his pockets as he spoke them, his emerald eyes boring into his aunt and uncle’s uncaring faces. 

A gruff sound emerged from his uncle before his aunt stood from the kitchen table, stepped past him with a glace and headed into the hallway—where Harry followed her with a frown between his brow. The confusion was clear, and it only heightened when she rummaged within his old cupboard bedroom and withdrew a medium sized mahogany box and key—he’d had no idea those had been in there—and promptly handed them to him at the door. 

‘Huh?’ He couldn’t help the utterance as he held the box between his palms and looked between it and her, the confusion very evident. Why was his aunt giving him this box and antique key? 

‘Its your Mother’s, or rather, she wanted you to have it when you were old enough. I acquired them some years back and placed them there, so you wouldn’t find them. I had no intention of giving it to you, but, as you won’t be coming back, and I do not want whatever is inside that box in my house; take it.’ 

If she hadn’t wanted it in her house why did she keep it? 

‘Why?’ He questioned. ‘You could have removed it from the house.’ 

Petunia seemed to see behind his question and simply shrugged her shoulders before doing an about face and heading back into the kitchen. Harry frowned further and turned only slightly to see that his cousin was the doing the same; a curious air enveloped him as they stared at each other. 

‘Well, are you going to open it?’ He jerked a finger. 

Harry startled slightly and even attempted, turning the key in the small lock but it wouldn’t turn, rather it wouldn’t turn ALL the way as if there was something stuck in the keyhole or a spell prevented it. Perhaps his Mother had protected this box with magic, but if it were for him then shouldn’t it open for him? Hm. Curious. He shrugged, pocketing the key. He’d try again later, exceptionally curious about what was inside the old wooden box. He stepped toward his trunk, flipped the locks and placed the box delicately inside then closing the latches again, he picked it up with the empty cage. ‘Bye Dudley.’ 

At his cousin’s nod he went to open the door, he even had an inch only to realise that someone had their hand inches from the where the wood, and now his face was, having been obviously about to knock. 

‘Oh, um…’ She smiled shyly. ‘Is…Is Dudley here?’ She questioned. 

Harry’s eyebrows flew to his hairline and he stepped around her with ease, finger pointing around the trunk in his hand without a sound. She was pretty. Harry was halfway down the pathway when he realised the woman had seemed oddly familiar. His feet stopped on paving and he turned, narrowing his eyes in concentration. Dudley and the girl were talking quietly just inside the door and Dudley’s hand was on the wood, about to close it but at seeing Harry pause and turn had stopped and turned himself. ‘What?’ He questioned gruffly. 

Harry ignored his cousin, pointing rather rudely at the new guest. ‘I know you.’ They both blanched before her cheeks tinted to a soft rose. 

‘…Yes.’ She said quietly. 

Harry came closer, dropping his trunk. ‘Your name’s Laila, isn’t it? You work at the little cage down in the Hollow, uh, what was it called again? The Gryphon? And you walk pass my house, the one I’ve been building in Godric’s Hollow since I turned 17, secretly of course. You always seem to stop to watch for a little, I’m not sure I understand why it would be so intriguing to watch but…’ He paused suddenly in deep thought, furrow deep between his brow then, he started to laugh. A hand came up to cover his mouth before it could get to loud. ‘Oh, oh wah Dudley. Good for you, cus, branching away from your parents’ prejudices.’ 

‘You look great together.’ Especially now that Dudley was no longer overweight, apparently one type of diet working for him at some point with his boxing. Harry held up a thumb as he took a step backwards, hand reaching for his trunk. ‘Best try not let her meet Vernon and Petunia though, not just yet, that might not go down very well…Know what I mean, Dud?’ He spoke conspiratorially, and it seemed to take the man only a minute to discern what his cousin was going on about; as the thoughts caught up to him, his blue eyes bugged out and his mouth dropped like a sack of potatoes on concrete. 

‘You…You’re…You’re magical, like him?’ 

 

"You...You're...You're magical, like him?" He pointed with a shaky finger as he whispered, the door closing quietly as it slipped from his fingers. Both Harry and Laila nodded then with a sideways dart of the eyes, Harry took the subtle clue and headed back down the path, words leaving his lips softely as he did so, "Just for the record Dudley, I really do think you make a great couple, you've matured alot and I'm assuming that's got something a do with Laila and not just because you've gotten older; if you'd take your cousin's advice, just this once, do yourself a favor and tie the knot, make some babies as soon as possible before Vernon and Petunia work out she's just like their nephew. See ya." He waved behind him as he spun around, his laugh fading into atmosphere as he disapparated, the sight of their lustful flushing faces making him smile. 

They were definitely good for each other. They were clearly In Love. 

. . .  
. . .

"Ahhhhhhh!" Harry stretched as his feet hit the ground at the apparating spot, feeling only slightly nausious, as the aftermagic coursed through his veins. It took a good two minutes to work through his system enough that he could move without bile rising and leaving his throat. He stepped through the Leaky Cauldron, because he'd apparated into a nearby side alleyway away from muggle eyes, and through into the backalley to stand right before the brick wall that led into Diagonalley, the wizarding shopping district. It was here that Harry thought he should finally buy the newest addition to the Potter Family; Puff. 

Puff the Snowy Owl, he looked almost identical to Hedwig besides his obvious different sex and that he was still only a small chick. Everything else from his white and grey feathers to his golden eyes was exactly the same as Hers. It was still depressing to think that his longest friend was gone, killed in an attack against Death Eaters where she tried to protect her Master from a killing curse aimed his way; he'd been in the sidecart of Hagrid's flying motorbike then, being transported from the Dursley's to the Weasley's. He missed her so much, but in order to slowly move on from the saddeness shouldn't he find a new friend? Wasn't that the first slow step? To buy Puff the Snowy Owl? 

Harry sighed heatedly as he looked within the cage at the small little ball of feathers perched on the bar within, you couldn't even make out where it's head began and it's body ended, his feathers were even smooshed against each other, frankly the only thing that made you aware he was even still breathing was the small shakes of the feathered ball and the light chirping noises he was making into the air. He was clearly fast asleep the little critter, it hadn't even been 10 minutes since Harry had bought the little bundle. He did appear to be atleast a little bigger than Ron's owl, Pigwidegen, and definitely less annoying. As he kept looking inside the cage, tears started to brim on the edges of his vision, blurring the image of the feathered mess, he was unconsciously remembering the first time he'd ever seen Hedwig, she was his very first birthday present. 

"Ah! If it isn't THE Harry Potter, having Ice-cream are we?" 

Harry's raven head turned slowly to face the owner of the sarcastic voice and he just barely refrained from holding in his sigh. "Malfoy Senior, you aren't in Prison? I thought you were proclaimed guilty at your trial?" It probably wasn't the best place to have a heated sarcastic disgussion, Fortesque's Ice-cream Parlour, but it was Harry's favorite place to be when he came to Diagon Alley, besides the Quidditch Supplies store. 

"No." His tone dropped and his grey eyes narrowed dangeriously. 

"Ah, my apologies then. Was there something you needed then Sir? I was kind of enjoying sitting here and swirling my spoon through my ice-cream bowl, chocolate vanilla swirl always was my favorite, you know, until I have to board the Express with your son, I'm free to do what I please, no?" He shifted his hand with the spoon to his mouth and twisted the spoon once it was inside his mouth, moaning as he sucked the ice-cream of the metal, closing his eyes for a split second for emphasis, then his emerald eyes peirced the elder Malfoy's, the man shifting from foot to foot subtly as he swallowed thickly at the action. 

Never got old. Harry thought, smirking internally. He'd seen the elder man a couple of times since the Final Battle and after the mans' Trials at the Ministry, especially at this ice-cream parlour where the ice-cream is the best, and in fact, everyone from the Wizarding World loves Fortesque's ice-cream Parlour, it apparently won a Minstry award back when Harry was still only in his third year of Hogwarts, for what he wasn't sure, but there you go. It never missed Harry's noticed that the defaced aristocrat tended to stare at him from across the short space of the parlour as he ate his chocolate vanilla swirl in various ways, though of course joyfully, when he started to really notice and he'd begun to do it sinfully, of course, it wasn't so hard, because apparently his friends believed he already did it this way... Sometimes the blonde man even sat as close to Harry's as was publically possible, close enough to even speak to him, but of course he never did, just sat...and watched...It was admittedly a little creepy but the joy of tormenting Draco's Father with eating his ice-cream ''seductively'' in a public place was a chance Harry never missed, the blushes were uncomfortabley thrilling as they spread across the aristocrat's cheeks, his fiddling was even cute...in a way. 

"Ahem." He coughed, "No. I was merely curious why Harry Potter was sitting eating Ice-cream at Fortesque's instead of already being at King's Cross Station, on Platform Nine and Three Quarters reading to board the Express to Hogwarts for his last year; it is afterall very important and we wouldn't want you to miss getting aboard because you were late, now would we Mister Potter?" He tapped his watch with his newly reimbursed snake headed wand and held it out for Harry to see. The fancy watch caught Harry's attention momentarily before he swore and scrambled to his feet,

"Shit!" He swore. "10:45..." It was a good thing he was a Wizard and one that could legally do magic in the eyes of the Ministry wasn't it? He'd still best hurry though if he missed the Hogwarts Express, Hermione and Snape would kill him a thousand times over and they would willingly team up to do so. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. It was like a mantra, "Pleasure seeing you Mister Malfoy but I must be off..." He hastily shoved a few spoonfuls of his ice-cream into his mouth before mumbling his goodbye, and with a hand grabbing Puff's cage from the checkered table, Harry rushed out of the Parlour, down the street, down an alley so he wouldn't accidently take anyone with him and apparented to King's Cross with five minutes to spare to grab his ticket for the Express, rush down the platform's to Nine and Ten, jump through onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters, huff out raggid breaths, give his stuff to the porter waiting by the train and board the train to search for his friends. 

. . .  
. . .

"Harry what on earth?" 

"Haaaah....haah...aaa...hff..." He was still breathing roughly and his hand was clenched harshly around the compartment door as his best friend of Eight Years said this with a frown in her voice and on her lightly freckled face. "Hff...so--rry...Haaa...nnnk..." He swallowed thickly his saliva to wet his parched throat, licked across his dry lips and jerked forward as the train jerked and started along the tracks, his feet skidded across the carpeted flooring slightly but he ignored it. 

"Easy Potter, why were you in such a rush? It's not like you can't apparate from any location or run across concrete..." 

"Khahaha....ice...hhahnn...Lu..." He swallowed again, trying to bring more saliva into his throat, it was hard, he needed a drink. He furrowed his brow as he looked around the compartment, "Uh....water?" Someone handed him a water bottle and he gratefully gulped down the liquid within from hole at the top; he handed it back to white haired girl that he realised was Luna and flushed slightly that he had shared her drink bottle... "Ice-cream..." He flushed further. 

Several of his friends eyebrows rose into their hairlines, Draco's merely rose in curiousity not incredulity. "Ice-cream? What about ice-cream, Potter??" Harry merely nodded as he breathed through his nose, still slightly out of breath, wiped his forehead on his shoulder blade of sweat, and closed the compartment door behind him, emerald eyes flitting behind his glasses to the packed space; why were there so many people in here anywhere? Why was Draco for starters in here with Harry's friends? Because frankly, yes they had formed a truce somewhat as the war ended and he'd defended Malfoy in his trials at the Ministry, even his Mother Narcissa, he'd actually tried to get Malfoy Senior sent to Azkaban because he deserved to be there...Well, at the time he thought so, apparently he had something similar as Snape going on with Dumbledore behind the scenes... Okay, so Malfoy was fine with being in the same compartment, who's the fellow beside Luna anyway? 

Draco, who had opted for the floor himself when it appeared there were no available seats, the moment he'd entered into the compartment 10 minutes before Harry himself had shown up looking all puffed out and slightly sweaty and glistening...and...sexy. There was Ginny and Neville huddled together, real close to the door on Harry's right, Ron and Hermione were cuddled together, real close beside them, Pansy beside Hermione next to the window looking out at the scenery, supposedly uninterested in the turn of events; on the other side was Luna and he guessed the fellow beside her was someone she knew...maybe a boyfriend? since they were holding hands and he was sure he'd seen the sandy haired boy once or twice before...He couldn't recall his name though...and then in some weird twist of fate Laila was flushing between sandy hair and Blaise next to the door to Harry's right...that left, again, no seats besides the floor with Draco; who seemed to be eyeing him with an air of put-upon annoyance. 

He even spoke gruffily, hand held out in front of him in an obvious gesture. "How long does it take Potter, there isn't any room. Obviously. Sit on the floor." Quite curious why Laila was here and in their compartment for that matter, Harry's emerald eyes stayed glued to her light blue as he obeyed the blonde distractedly and sat himself down, back pressed to the compartment door. Several eyes widened at his actions, including Malfoy's grey, but Harry merely ignored them and continued to stare at her until she opened her mouth, prompted by his determined; to her, unnerving -- staring. 

 

"Ahem...Hi..." She said nervously. 

"Hi." He spoke in such a way that she flushed further and ran a hand through her dark tresses. 

"I'm attending Hogwarts..." 

"You don't say?" His voice was very sarcastic but he held a quirk of a smile to his lips as he spoke to her; everyone watching the interaction was curious what was happening, because clearly Harry appeared to know the dark haired girl personally. "Wasn't aware you attended Hogwarts? Or school, for that matter...Though I suppose it was always weekends and holidays so I supposed you must have, I've never seen you before that at the Gryphon though..." Harry frowned slightly and tilted his head as he pushed his body sideways slightly, but not enough for his back to still be pressed against the compartment door. 

She nodded, "It's my family's Cafe...so I've worked there since I can remember though really I properly started working there when I was 15. I went to a different school, my parents thought it was better if I were away from all the violence and horror of the Second Wizarding War, but since, thanks to you, there is no longer a war going on and my parents are now remarried, to different people, they decided that it's high time I went to the best Wizarding School in all the magical world, besides it's easier, since we permantently live here now..." 

"Oh?" Harry ran a hand through his fringe, taking off his new glasses briefly to wipe the lenses; apparently they were slightly dusty. 

"Yes?" Her voice held a hint of anxiousness. 

"Does my cousin know?" He looked to her with an unhindered look, emerald eyes bare and intensily green, somehow almost completely blind he saw her flush that quickly spread from her cheeks to her neck...and probably further. 

"Well...he knows I go to school and he knows I'm magical now...so...I suppose he'd have guessed as much?" She didn't seem completely sure of herself but Harry shrugged; he wasn't overly concerned whether is cousin was aware or not, he was just curious about the why and now that he thought about it, he stared even more at her, eyebrows drawn down in thought, messy head tilted slightly. She seemed to swallow nervously and push her own hair out of her face momentarily. 

"How old are you?" He put his glasses back on as he asked, smoothing down his fringe and spreading out his legs in front of him, so his feet were touching the tips of Malfoy's shoes that were flat against the carpeted floor before him. 

"...Sixteen...." She shifted on the leather apolstered seat and swallowed. Harry's emerald eyes widened as his mouth fell open, they swung back to stare intensily at her blue ones, "Sixteen...you know my cousin is eighteen right?" She nodded her dark head, "I do know how old my boyfr--nae, Fiance` is, yes." 

"Fian---" 

"Fiance`?!" Harry was cut off by an outburst from the blonde in front of him, that somehow had crawled silently along the small space of floor to kneel right between Harry's spread legs, his hands were pressed to Harry's thighs, surprisingly very precisely placed where Harry's hip bone curved into his groin. Harry swallowed as he watched the blonde do his own intense staring at the dark haired youth, the youngest among the entire compartment, obviously the blonde seemed to know Laila aswell, how, Harry didn't haven't the slightest clue.   
As grey eyes met blue, the grey turned to a molten silver as she hesitated answering or confirming what she had already uttered, at the time with no hesitations as she had clearly corrected herself. "Fiance` Laila?! Your Father is going to kill you, you're still in school, your sixth year, shit, you aren't pregnant are you?!" He came further forward and was practically sitting in Harry's lap, Harry's head smacked back into the compartment door as he reared back, his hands held out before him, either side of Malfoy's body crawling unconsciously into his tightly clothed body. Harry wasn't sure what to do so he kept his hands hovering in the air beside the blonde, before him as he stared intensily at Laila, his dark eyes smoldered as she slowly shook her head of the propsterous idea. 

"I am not and it isn't like we'll be married until I graduate from Hogwarts Draco, we're not that immature, I want to finish my education anyways, however much it is in a new school..." She was still shaking her head, this time in slight irritation as she stared down into both their faces. "Besides, it isn't like Father hadn't once tried to arrange a marriage for me, yours either, Narcissa included, and maybe you might want to look down and point the finger at Harry as he's the one that told us tie the knot." She smirked a little and Harry got the distinct feelings she would be a Slytherin, he sighed as he looked up into stormy grey eyes looking down at him, he murmured defeatedly, hands still where they were awkwardly. 

"It wasn't like I meant, right now, right that minute..." 

"Are you still arranged Draco?" It was Laila intercepting their non existent conversation, or rather cutting in before their could be a conversation or an arguement. Harry smiled slightly as the blonde's eyes turned back to her and a furrow formed between his brow as he scowled. "You're not are you, I thought that was finalized with the devorce? All arranges were henceforth null and void right?" She was frowning as his blonde head that had bowed and was looking at his own hands pressed into Harry's groin curve, fingers burrowed into the soft tight material. Harry was watching the emotions flit across the blonde's face and lowered his hands to press into the carpet either side of his legs, fingers digging into the carpet as they partially turned a different colour, his glamour mildly slipping as he forgot to have part of his brain concentrate on the glamour charm. 

"It isn't like Lucius isn't still trying to get me to take a wife and bare children, even with Mother no longer his wife..." 

Ah, that's right, Harry remembered now, there had been something in the Daily Prophet about the Malfoy's showing the truths to each other and having filed for a devorce shortly after their trials had been through and they were free, or rather Narcissa, to leave the country; perhaps she had, it almost sounded like these two were now step-siblings? Harry's intuition wasn't always wrong afterall... 

"Draco?" Harry queried, brows knitted together slightly. 

Draco's blonde head lifted and his grey eyes met Harry's, seemingly troubled, he probably wasn't used to Harry using his name either. "Yes?" 

"Would I be right to guess and say that you two have recently become step-siblings somehow, by some weird twist of fate?" Harry pointed distractedly toward Laila on the seat, one leg crossed over the other to limit her space, as he looked directly into the blonde's grey eyes, his lips quirking in amusement. He could practically see the gogs turning inside the aristocrat's brain, the words, ''Fiance`'', ''Harry said it'', ''Cousin'', swirling around until they fit into their own little slots, as if he'd completed a puzzle. 

"And...your cousin is her Fiance`...so...that's how you know her? Though you said something about the Gryphon..." He sighed and pressed his head forward before backwards, holding his head flipped back and staring at the cieling. "I guess, we'll become family then...that's why you look amused isn't?" He glowered down at Harry, eyes back once more on Harry's green and Harry smiled outright before laughing with a shrug. 

"Something like that..." Strangely enough, he'd gotten used to Malfoy on his lap. . . 

The train compartment slowly went back into silence, both Harry and Draco muttering beside each other by the window now; under their breaths so no one could hear their muted conversation, though occasionally they would get weird looks as one of them cried out in horror, disgust and sometimes laughter. Everything even paused as half an hour later, Hermione rushed from the compartment and down the hallway, fumbling with the compartment door before doing so, the thing to catch their attention. Several different coloured pairs of eyes turned to the door and her figure hastily leaving, all completely silent, all entirely hearing the retching noises and gasping for air just down the hall in the bathroom that was appararenty located there. Harry was the first to avert his eyes from the door and his ears from the sound, he spoke very slowly as if he were afraid to break the silence that had descended. "Ron..." 

"...Mate?" The one word response caused Harry's eyes to completely turn to face his redheaded friend, Ron's face was pale, his freckles a stark contrast with the interior, standing out on his paled skin more than usual, he seemed anxious. 

"What did you do?" 

"Wha--" His face quickly morphed into one of confusion before Hermione seemed to have reappeared, breathing a sigh as she pulled the door open, slipped in with her skin looking slightly clammy and wet, a hand brushing her brown curls back from her face and tying it with a hairtie that appeared in her hand from nowhere in particular. Everyone, their eyes already trained to the door, stared at her with suspicion. Harry of course, ignored his redheaded friend and turned to his other slightly gingerhaired. 

"Hermione." He spoke quietly, green eyes intense as he waited for her to seat herself beside her boyfriend, hook her hand with his and acknowledge that people were staring at her with suspicion and curiousity. 

"Yes Harry?" Her golden brown eyes lifted to meet his when she realised she'd been spoken to. 

"Are you alright?" 

She blinked her dark lashes, flicking her eyes once around the small crowded space, her hand tightening imperseptively around Ron's sweaty one. "I am, why?" She kept staring at Harry as he paused, shaking his messy head, eyebrows drawn up high on his forehead, green eyes glistening and wide in disbelief, lips pressed out in sort of dubious pout, an in-thought pout. 

"Oh, no reason in particular, you weren't just retching in the bathroom down the hall or anything..." He blinked innocently as he slightly shook his head with his sarcastic words, he ignored as beside him Draco's molten eyes sparkled at the almost slytherin-esk way he'd spoke to his own best friend. Something about Potter had definitely changed over the holidays, and something big. The blonde knew that much, he just wasn't sure what it was, and earlier when he had practically unconsciously crawled into the raven haired's lap, whilst he spoke disbelievingly at his step-sister, that would have warranted Potter pushing him away and yelling at him almost instantaniously with his hands pressing into his thighs, but he hadn't done, the green eyed male merely kept his hands at bay, going even so far as placing them back down by his thighs and digging them into the carpet. 

"Uh...stomach bug." Hermione's voice drifted through the compartment, holding something akin to anxiety and desperation in her light know-it-all voice, that fact that she had put the suffix ''uh'' in front of her sentence instead of just what she ''supposedly'' contracted over the summer, was testimount the nervousness coursing through her veins as she was asked by one of her best friends. She was lying, or atleast not telling the completely truth to her best friend, Harry. Harry nodded in fake agreement, clearly seeing the blantant lie of his friend Granger, right before he got up, scrunched and unscrunched his hands, then with the barest minimum of hesitation, took a step right over Draco's legs, stood right in front of her and placed his bare hands straight atop Hermione's covered stomach; as she straightened almost instantaniously with his intent to do something, she squeaked indignantly as Ron spluttered beside her, their hands clenching together at his disregard of their virtue. 

"Harry!?" Her voice was higher than usual and Harry winced slightly as he cradled what appeared to be a slightly rounded stomach beneath her thick jumper. He blinked, his fingertails turning dark as he hummed to himself and ignored the other hand that placed itself over top of his momentarily, trying to push him away, as he spoke back at her moments later, distracted. 

"I'm merely curious to see if...anything..." He trailed off, head tilting, hair falling into his face as he dropped his hands to his sides. "Oh...Ron..." Flicking his hair back with emerald eyes intense and almost disapproving, he trained them on his redheaded friend that was almost scowling at him; he showed his sympathy for Hermione though as he stood back from her a little, just barely touching Draco's legs. 

"Harry." 

"Well...at least we're Eighth Years right? That probably doesn't count entirely as still being students and you are adults in the eyes of the Ministry...Maybe you could ask the Professor's to put you in a room together? Though I don't know how they'd take the news whilst your still in education...and what with it being Hermione, the ever responsible, how the hell did that even happen? Oh wow, does Molly know? ...No I don't expect she does huh? Otherwise the both of you would be well on your way to getting married yourselves huh?" 

"Harry stop. What the hell is wrong with you?" She had tears brimming in her golden brown eyes, "You've been strange ever since you defeated Voldemort and we barely saw you during the summer, you barely wrote to us at all...What's wrong with you?" She hiccuped and Harry took another step back, tripping slightly over the blondes legs spread out behind him, he could feel everyones eyes on him, intensily staring at his figure, Harry lowered his head, green eyes staring down at his darkened fingernails clenched unconsciously in his jeans, he felt aplogetic and he apologised quietly as he slowly sat himself back down beside the blonde on the floor. He didn't think he was acting all that different, though...he supposed the normal Harry would just congradulate them or something, wouldn't he? 

It seemed even Malfoy had the same mindset as Hermione did, as his eyebrows were drawn down disapprovingly and he had no trace of the small smile he'd been wearing recently, after the war, on his lips anymore and his eyes that before had been sparkling, were not. Perhaps he had really gone to far? He clenched his teeth, feeling the slight sharpness to them behind his lips as he bit into the side of his cheek, in the silence that had descended over the train compartment once more, this one not at all comfortable. It even remained this way until they were mere minutes away from Hogsmead Station, so for the next two- to three hours, the train ride was uncomfortably silent, except for the whispers that they spoke, as if afraid to dampened their own disapproving atmosphere; more than likely, most of the whispers were about himself, and frankly Harry could hear some of them, he kept his eyes on his hands clasped together in his lap. Head bowed..

"Potter." 

Tap Tap. 

"Oi. Potter!" 

Bop. 

Harry's raven head bobbed down as a hand fell atop the strands with a heavy thunk, apparently the blonde was calling him out. "Sorry, what?" He spoke quietly. 

"What is wrong with you, I'm curious. First you're all jubilent and then you're almost slytherin and then you go all depressing...you have some eratic emotions there, are you sure you aren't the one that's pregnant in here?" He was the first one to speak loudly for two to three hours and several people laughed loudly in response to the joking comment. The train began to slow as Harry scrunched up his nose, not really finding the comment funny. 

"What do you want?" 

"Like I said, I can't say I'm not curious but the other half of the Golden Trio asked you what you'd been up to...you know..since the final battle when you didn't contact them and basically went off the grid for the next few months, apparently getting a personality transplant..." He pointed, so apparently, Malfoy hadn't been the first to speak loudly in the last two to three hours, his friends had, had they forgiven him then? Not that of course, it mattered because frankly they were just asking the general ''how was your summer questions'' and stuff, it was a general rule in their group, always had been. Every year they asked each other, to stay up to speed, they were almost at the station, in fact, the train was starting to pull into the platform. 

Harry shrugged uncaringly, Okay then ~~ "Um...I went to the Ministry for a bunch of trials like everyone else here...minus a few, to your trail Draco and your families; even your Father's..." He sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "Umm...mostly worked on my home because I plan to live there once we graduate, in fact it's almost finished, but it needs furniture and a hell of a lot of paint..I haven't painted yet, so that comes first I guess...Then I need to buy some plants and outdoor furniture..." He was beginning to mutter to himself, mind transfering briefly to his home in Godric's Hollow all the work he still needed to do, to well, make it a home. "UH, I was hoping you could help me Nev, since you know more about plants than I do?" He turned his dark head toward the man in question pressed into Ginny, smiling slightly as Neville gave him a 'of course I'll help you' nod of agreement and pleasure. "Um...what else did I do?" He asked himself, frowning slightly into his knees as he bent them upwards, to his chest. "I visited the Potter and Black Family Vaults, which was interesting, though I'm not sure if the latter shouldn't have gone to Draco instead because he actually is a descendant of the Black's..." Harry trailed off as he looked sideways at the blonde who was shaking his blonde tresses at the statement already. 

"You were his Godson were you not, Potter? If so and he put you as his heir that it would go to you, garanteed. Besides, I don't think the Ministry would have allowed anyone in my Family to take the contents of the ancient vault anyways, even if my Mother and I are direct descendants of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black... It isn't like we were really all that close to them in the first place, I never met any of my cousins or anything...I don't think my Mother approved of her family..." He shrugged to his last words as if he wasn't sure and wasn't sure if he should be mentioning it at all in Harry's presence. Harry nodded to the words slowly, right, of course he'd not really known them, the only ones besides his mother and her sister that had still been alive, were Sirius and Andromeda, and the latter two were disowned for various reasons. Which made you think, didn't it, should Sirius have inheriated his family vault after he was technically disowned? Even if he the only Black to still have the last name? Harry rubbed his lips with a finger as his brow drew down in thought, "It makes sense that you'd have it." Harry jumped moments later as after a short silence, the blonde confirmed that Harry should have the vault and not himself, a Malfoy. He nodded his raven head and then with a breath, continued his original objective in telling the compartment about his mysterious summer, in which he barely talked to anyone. 

"Um...so I found a bunch of interesting stuff within, like some portraits that were made of my parents and grandparents, a box with some of my muggle grandparents, uh, there were some other pictures of my mother with her best friend when they were nine...they seemed very happy..." He trailed again and once again frowned. "I also recieved a strange intricatedly carved wooden box from my Aunt as I was leaving Privet Drive this morning; that was from my Mother, but it appears to be locked with magic, because when I tried to open it with the fancy key I was given, it only turned halfway before halting in the keyhole...Thing is I've no idea what spells she might have used, considering she was very good at charms... It's got to be something super important right?" He looked up briefly, frown still marring his features. "It's in my trunk right now, but...Hermione would you maybe help me figure it out?" He was reluctant to voice the question whilst she was still angry with him but with the barest hesitation, she nodded. He figured it was properly the excitment of figuring out 18 year old, locking spells that drew her into helping him instead of actually wanting to help him at the moment. Angry and all at his attitude. 

"Thank you." He said sincerly. "I also went and visited the Orphanages over the holiday aswell, that's always strange...yet satisfying, uh, I bought a new owl this morning. His name is Puff. Puff the Snowy Owl." He mumbled to himself afterwards, saying it was hard to do, and it had been, then turned completely with a sudden scowl to face the blonde beside him as the blonde's voice quaked in amusement next to him. 

"Puff? Potter." 

"Yes." Harry hissed, feeling defensive all of a sudden. "What's wrong with Puff? That's exactly what he is, besides being an Owl. He's barely any bigger than Ron's owl Pig. Maybe an inch or two, he's covered in grey and white feathers...He's just a baby Snowy Owl..." 

"Ah, I see." Malfoy's lips quirked up as he held his hands up before him in a mock surrender pose, a placating gesture for Harry's erratic mood springs probably. 

"Eh...I didn't do anything else really..." He shrugged, the train pulling into the station entirely now, it's whistle signalling it's approach to the platform. He'd ask them what they did, but he didn't particularly feel up for it and they didn't particularly seem to care either way what he did, now that he took a quick peek at their faces as they stood to their feet, hands still clasped together; they were still mad. This was obvious to Harry and he sighed as they began to slowly unboard the express. 

"Come on Potter, hurry it up." Draco was bouncing on the balls of his feet as they all waited for Harry to hurry his petite arse from the train steps, if they were quick they would be able to get one of the better carriages to take them up the hill to Hogwarts Castle, there were perhaps only three to four that were slightly larger and could hold more than a few students at a time. However even as they snagged one, it's Thestral pawing at the ground and breathing fog into the air before them, it was still abit of a fit for the amount they currently had, what with Neville, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Luna's boyfriend?, Pansy, Blaise, Laila, Draco and Harry himself. 

. . .  
. . .

Harry hadn't known just how bad their number was until he was forced to sit on someone's lap in order to even close the door properly, so that they were safely enscorsed in the carriage and wouldn't fall out as they ascended the hill to the school. However, would fate ever not mess with him, that person's crotch was Draco's. They were all seated awkwardly, them most of all right beside the window and door, wedged beside Hermione and Ron, Hermione comfortably enscorsed atop Ron's crotch, how would she not be comfortable, they probably sat that way in various ways and situations. For Harry though, it was incredibly awkward, even after becoming comfortable...or rather, being used too (temporarily) having Malfoy in his lap earlier, it still felt very awkward and strange, what with him now being the one in someone's lap, namely, Malfoy's, especially as Malfoy shifted beneath him ever so slightly; probably trying to get comfortable, his crotch rubbing across Harry's clothed arse.   
Wiggling unconsciously every so often, he seemed to ellicit the occasional groan behind him, the blonde head smacking back into the seat mere moments later, grey eyes undoubtably closing at the movement and hand unconsciously, unwillingly scrunching into Harry's dark denim jeans, they were almost black. 

.... The scrunching and the groaning went on for several minutes, the sounds echoing around the silent inside of the carriage. The ride seemingly becoming never ending. 

"Ahem." There was a pregnant pause before another "Ahem." resonated around the heated space. There was small mist clouds circulating the interior from the crowdedness, and probably the embarrassed heat from Harry's face; he just knew it was probably bright red. He wiggled as his ''seat'' became even less comfortable, hardening beneath him ever so slightly as he rocked back and forth unwillingly with the awkward adjustments of his weight, the uncomfortablness of being in someone else's lap, like your rival's, and the ride up the hill to the school that was less the ideal travelling route for a Thestral drawn carriage, it was full of pot-holes from heavy rain, dosens of students shoes as they ran down to Hogsmead village and back to Hogwarts on the Hogsmeade weekends from Third Year up, and the rocks, the natural rocks that just seem to remain there no matter how much magic the Headmaster or staff used to ease the discomfort of carriage travel... Perhaps what they needed was a continuation of their prior 3 minute holiday conversation? 

"So....uh..." Harry mumbled, trying for a distraction as he felt hot breath on the back of his neck. "What did everyone else do in their holidays? Make any wedding plans?" He looked pointedly at his best friends that sat beside them, they were only just avoiding his emerald eyes, their faces flushing slightly before the answers were tinged with annoyance; clearly still mad, Harry's tone probably wasn't helping, hey, shouldn't they be getting enjoyment from Harry's uncomfortableness of being in Malfoy's lap? They couldn't be entirely without a small sadistic streak, just about everyone had one... 

"Not as of yet no, but Mum seems to be conspiring with Hermione's Mum though...We, figured we'd get married when we graduate...after the baby's born. Studies and all, with raising a baby, it'd probably be hard work all at the same time...so..." Ron was shrugging as he pressed his head into Hermione's brown curls. They were all nodding, not just Harry and Draco from the words, even Hermione was agreeing what Ron was saying, though, well, of course, she's probably the one that said as much first. 

"So...you're engaged too?" 

They nodded and Hermione awkwardly showed Harry and subsequently the rest of the carriage her engagment ring, it was pretty nice and even slightly bigger than Laila's had been on her own ring finger, Harry had to wonder if Ron had decided to take that job at the Joke Shop with his brother's, Greg and Forge, just to get the rock. "It's pretty nice." Harry smiled kindly, nodding to his words, behind him a rough, "Nice rock Granger." was muffled around a few strands of his messy brown hair, he could feel the dampness from the blonde's lips as they were eased out of his mouth by way of a small shake of the head. Of course, his head promptly moved to Harry's shoulder, his own blonde hair carrassing Harry's cheek, his hot breath sliding across the edge of Harry's sensitive ear, as he leaned forward ever so slightly. Malfoy's hand moved inconspicuously to Harry's hip bone beneath his jeans to keep him steady as he jolted, his own objective to see the ring better on Hermione's finger. 

"Isn't it?" She smiled, her face lighting up and her deamenour changing with it, though Harry knew she was still annoyed with Harry personally. She had no qualms with anyone else but Harry. Her brown eyes drew down to stare at the shimmering rock as the lights within illuminated whatever it was made out of. 

"Mmm..." Harry mumbled, he pressed his head back without thinking, pressing his back into Draco's firm chest. Malfoy choked none to subtly and clenched his hand in Harry's black leather hoddie; they weren't technically students, the excemptions, the once in a life time occurance, the special Eighth Year's, Hermione had decided as they boarded the express that it wasn't needed for them to change into their uniforms until their first day of classes; Harry heard this after he'd arrived, huffing and puffing. 

"And what about you Draco?" Everyone's eyes turned to the wispy voice across the seat, it was the first time, probably, that Luna had spoken since her Hello's on the express, when they'd first arrived on the train. 

"Uh...me?" He was looking to the side of Harry's head, his blonde curls pressing into the corner of Harry's lips. They smelt fresh and fruity, intoxicating. "I attended by Mother's second wedding to my Step-Father, whom I meant at the same time I met my Step-Sister, coincedently the very same day as their wedding.. UH, I haven't seen my Father since he was deemed ''innocent'' and given house arrest and screamed at my mother several months afterwards, which was when they got their devorce, so that's been pleasant... Though the fact my Mother dragged me off to france with her wasn't exactly ideal for me at the time, especially when I learnt why. I, also, like Potter, obtained a new familiar." He shrugged at the indignant sqawk from Harry, who became instantly more defensive because the blonde had done the same, of course, Harry ignored the fact that the blonde's long thin fingers curled and uncurled in his leather jacket and there was a subtle shift below him, a hardening beneath him.

"Oh" 

"Huh?" 

Harry shook his head, swallowing as he realised he'd let out an involuntary sound, slightly out of breath from the hardening below him, the thickness that could very clearly be felt pressing into the crease of his jeans where his crack was. The length and thickness was very descernable, that was either Harry's wild imagination or the blonde was wearing very slim, thin jeans that appeared to look much thicker. A grand illusion, yes? Harry remained silent, biting the inside of his cheek as Malfoy went on, only a small warble in his syllables as Harry experimentally pressed downwards into the hardness. "My Eagle Owl met a similar fate I believe as your Snowy, Potter. Artemis got on my Father's wrong side, unfortunately appearing with letters from the Ministry adressed to the whole family, whilst my Father was in one of his bad moods. However I didn't obtain another owl, I'm not ready for that, I didn't want to replace him." 

Harry growled and thwacked his head back into the blonde's, eyes alighting with triumph as a pained groan came from behind him and the hands entwined roughly in his jacket material clenched into the leather, making fingernail imprints; though he wasn't entirely pleased with the grip and markings on his new clothes, he was satisfied with the blonde's pain. "What the hell Potter?!" His voice was hoarse with pain, pressing his cool hand into his own forehead with one hand, Harry scowled at the small bit of carpeted floor beneath his sneaker clad feet. "I didn't replace Hedwig, Malfoy." 

"I never said you did, Potter, gees. You didn't have to friggin slam your head backwards, there isn't room for that, I smacked my head backwards too!!" 

Harry smirked at his feet, hair fallen into his eyes to mask the look from his friends. "You implied it." 

"Whatever you say Scarhead." Draco rolled his eyes as he adjusted himself on the seat and crept an arm around Harry so he didn't fall forwards as they travelled over a large pot-hole at the same time. Then just as suddenly, the clip clop of the Thestrals silent hooves on the dirt path became silent and Luna threw open the door, this caused Harry to almost fall backwards out of it, and he would have, had it not been for that sneaky hand a moment earlier encircling his waist. "Haah...Haaah..." Harry breathed heavily, almost breathless as his body subtly shook from the shock. They completely diregarded the stares as they all exited the carriage, everyone else before them. 

"Uh...Draco?" Harry was reluctant but forceful as he pressed his own hand around the blonde's. 

"....." 

"You can let go now." He wriggled for emphasis and with an "Ah!" into the night air, the aristocrat quickly released him, jumping back as if he'd been burned, in fact his hands were even slightly pink to attest to this assessment, but surely not? Walking awkwardly backwards down the carriage footstep, green eyes locked to silver, Harry stumbled, sweaty palms slipping on the handrails and new sneakers slipping on the apparently slightly rain dampened step, he fell straight into the arms of his best friend, Ronald Weasley with a sheepish laugh and an awkward pat of his own clothes as he was quickly righted. 

"Inside?" Draco's face appeared inches from his nose as Harry righted his glasses. 

"UH..." Harry swallowed, nodding, feeling embarassed as he caught an image of those rosie lips pressed to his own and a warm tongue slipping through, their tongues battling for dominance, who knows who'd win? swim through his hazy mind, there was another image but he wasn't sure he wanted to really look close at that one, he could feel the imagiry though, you know, since he'd been sitting in the blonde's lap for fifteen minutes...though it felt like longer... Did that mean bad or good? "Inside." He mirrored, then they nodded together and headed everyone else into the Great Hall, ignoring the seemingly tense atmosphere. 

 

Chapter 2. 

 

"Ahem." 

There was a cough as they entered late. 

"Ahem!" 

And another as they quickly took their seats at the already overflowing tables.   
The voice of the Headmaster boomed with a sonorus, echoing throughout the hall to be heard in every corner, to be blasted at the First Year's now cowering just inside the Great Hall doors behind McGonagall. 

"How nice for you eleven to deign to finally join us. Miss Ne'yah if you would wait with the first years? " He waved toward them and Laila quickly rushed to their side, hands in front of her and pale face flushing; anyone would be embarrassed to be told such a thing at their age. 

"However reluctantly, It appears I must allow time before the sorting for speeches to be made, to allow certain indivduals to voice their opinions on the new peace that has swept the world recently. So...Potter and company please make your way up the dais to do so. Make it brief if you can." The man seemed to roll his obsidian eyes and cough lightly as he stepped to the side and allowed Harry and friends to step up onto the teachers dais, they were blinking completely taken aback, none of them had been aware of this development prior to now; they had no speeches prepared.

As Harry stepped up and stood to the side, a few centermeters away from the newest Headmaster of Hogwarts, allowing his friends to go first, speaking as loud as they could and as clear as they could as they winged their speeches for the new year. Harry mumbled toward the elder man, "You sound much better Sir." Snape grunted and rubbed subtly across the collar of his robes, where the scar encircled his neck and would forever, beneath. Harry smiled at the grunt and the subsequent light push to his back as Snape spoke grouchily, though he didn't appear to be trying to be nasty, "It's your turn Potter, make it quick and simple. I don't appreciate these awkward moments either." 

Harry nodded, cleared his throat and with a hand coming up to scrub the back of his neck in uneasiness, Harry took that pushed step forward as his friends stepped back. "Um...what can I say? Welcome to Hogwarts, welcome back to those reattending this old school, it may not be up to its old grandness but I can garantee it will be as good as new, or the Hogwarts of old, soon. We'll mend her. Promise, so...until then watch the stairs and crumbled parts of the school, uh, make lots of memories, let loose, but not to loose" He shook his head and lifted his hands as he got a grunt of discouragment from behind him and to his right from Snape. "Just enough that you'll remember your youth and can look back and remember that you no longer have a dark wizard trying to control your world, taking your family members and friends away... It's a time of peace and hopefully one that will remain so for many many years, just think about spending your youth the best you can from now on, pay your respects to those lost, spend days with those that stayed behind and treat them normally...No one is truly ever gone." He smiled sadly as he shifted from foot to foot. His green eyes were circling the great hall to every single student, including the small first years behind the Deputy Headmistress that were looking at the floor as if they had tears in their eyes. "We're free to live our lives the way that we wish, without that threat of Voldemort hanging over our heads..." He smiled sheepishly as he spoke the beasts name and several people shivered, perhaps it was still to soon to mention the creatures name without the goose flesh rising on people arms? "It's easy to make friends that can help you cope with whatever your going through, no matter at what time in your life, hell, my friends helped me immensily during my youth, I'm not sure what I would have done without them by my side..." He turned briefly to look at them and they smiled tightly, he smiled back the same; he really meant those words, he wasn't sure what he'd do without his friends by his side. Hopefully they'd forgive his behaviour soon.... Not that he really understood why it was so bad in the first place? 

Everyone was nodding or crying slightly, unshed tears pooling at the corners of their eyes, sad smiles on their faces and Harry quickly stood back, allowed Snape's hand on his shoulder briefly and headed down the three steps to the ground and back to his house tables with his friends behind him. Snape's voice rang back across the Hall as they sat down on the benches together, Harry picking up a goblet of pumpkin juice, though he suddenly felt he needed something stronger. 

"Very good, thank you. I'm sure we are all greatful of the power of Harry Potter, and friends for defeating...Voldemort. He stumbled over calling the Dark Lord's name but Harry smiled slightly, head nodding before ducking back down to the table and staring into the orange liquid within his golden goblet. "Now then...Onto the Sorting Ceremony, then the Feast. I'm sure we're all hungry." 

. . .  
. . .

The Sorting got underway then. Laila going first and being sorted into Ravenclaw, sitting beside Luna at the table then all the first years went and it was the second one to be sorted into Gryffindor that sat right beside Harry and Hermione, wedging himself between them; eyes downcast and hair in his face, he didn't look overly happy to be there. 

"Um...Are you alright?" His hand lightly fell on the boys shoulder and it almost felt as if he'd broken the poor boy. His little shoulders shook ever so slightly, almost unseeable beneath his small black robe with the Hogwarts crest on the breast. 

"Uh..." Harry looked across to Ron and over to Hermione, they seemed equally ill at ease. There anger toward Harry forgotten for the moment. 

Sniffle. 

Sniffle. 

"It's...it's alright, it's not that scary." Harry's voice was strained as he tried to find a reason for the boy to be so upset, and a way to comfort the poor lad. It wasn't like this occured on a regular basis, most first years were awed into silence when they first started Hogwarts, he knew he had been. Or full of Hogwarts trivia as Hermione had been...

Sniffle. 

Sniffle. 

Hiccup. 

'Crap', Harry thought, his hand moving to the boys wildely dishevelled black hair; it almost ran entirely down to his shoulders except half of it had been pulled behind his head in a braid and clipped there. If it hadn't been for the boys name earlier, he'd have been confused if he was indeed a boy or that of a girl, what with his unique long hair and his arognous features, of what Harry could see of them anyways. 

"Are you homesick maybe?" This didn't seem overly likely to Harry, since the boy had only just arrived; he jumped when the boy hiccuped further and started to rub his eyes with his hands, tears slipping over them as he did so. Okay...perhaps not the right words?   
He pleaded over the boys head at Hermione for help, she was going to be a new mum soon; good practise. She however shrugged uncomfortably and patted the boys back lightly; yes great help. Harry scowled and sighing deeply, he stepped off the bench, rounded his back and spun him carefully around; mindful of the stares he'd recieve in doing so. And there were, lots of them. He swallowed thickly and licking his lips, gripped the boys hands and pulled them away from his flushed face.   
The boy blinked his dark wet lashes over bright amber eyes and Harry leaned back a little, his feet skidding slightly on the floor as he did so; it wasn't every day that he came across amber eyes like those. "I'm Harry. What's your name?" 

Sniffling he didn't even attempt to take his hands from Harry's grasp and Harry watched as the tears fell down his flushed cheeks silently. This boy was definitely very upset, but why was the question, even more was if this boy could speak at all. 

The silence stretched for almost an entire minute before he uttered barely above a raspy whisper that his name was Sage; no last name, nothing else, just the one word uttered into the silence and Harry's fingers, because he felt the lips brush against his knuckles and the tears press into the skin. Of course, this was the name that McGonagall had called out earlier, even then, this boy had not had a last name. It got him thinking...  
Now how to get something else, like a reason out of the child before him? Harry let go of the trembling hands and placed his own back onto the bench either side of the eleven year old, clenching the wood in a vice grip to keep himself grounded, since he was practically squatting, his toes in his shoes pressing into the stone beneath his feet. 

"Are you upset at being sorted into Gryffindor?" He felt a little hurt at the suggestion but it was a possibility. 

However, Sage shook his dishevelled head, raking his hands through the strands and just barely refraining from undoing the braid that ran across the side; it appeared to only be on one side...His small voice seemed to flutter into the warm atmosphere and putter out before Harry really had a chance to comprehend he'd even said anything. 

"I'm sorry?" 

Sage blinked and licked his lips, wiping his eyes hastily and gripping the edge of his white shirt between the gap in his Hogwarts First Year robe. "I don't have parents, I can't pay for school...I can't stay here." Harry blinked back the shock of the words and hated to ask but, "Sage do you perhaps live in an orphanage with other little boys and girls?" he nodded slowly, eyes watery again. 

"Uh..." Harry nodded slowly himself, "Do you maybe live at one of the Potter Orphanages?" He cringed as he spoke but as the general word for them, he couldn't really help saying his last name, not unless he wished to name at least five different ones that he founded and sponsered, cared for personally, and visited on an almost weekly basis. He had founded Lily's, Hedwig's, The Lost Children's, Emerald's, and lastly The Stag and The Doe, Orphanage and Medical Centre's straight after the war, with a little effort, some help with his ever damning fame, a lot of hope, tears, and some of his blood (quite literally) to give back to those that had lost everything in the tragic second wizarding world war. All those children that no longer had families to go too, he wanted to treat them for their injuries, no matter who's children they were, no matter how they were raised, or what they were taught to believe in, he wanted to help alliviate their traumas, the holes in their hearts that once had the love of their parents...He felt he had needed to give them that back, at least, to some extent. He held back tears every time he saw the numerous amounts of children playing in his various ancestral homes. 

Sage fiddled with the hem of his shirt as he nodded once again, slowly, and Harry smiled sadly, head tilted slightly and hair sliding edge by messy edge into his green eyes that were hardpressed to remain dry and itchy, not wet and dripping at the feeble look on the small boys face. So he was one of Harry's ''children''. "Sage?" As Harry quietly called the boys name, waiting for the hesitant eye contact of gold to green, "Did you know?" He continued to smile, a little more conspiratorily as he pressed a hand to the boys knee gently, professionally, "All residents at ''Potter Orphanages'' are given a condition upon being placed within the ancestral walls, do you know what it is?" Of course the boy didn't, but he waited anyways until Sage shook his head and his brow came down in confusion, a sniffle echoing around the silent hall (everyone was listening intently, trying to not make a single sound, so they didn't disrupt the rare moment), Harry ignored the camera flash in the background to focus on Sage in front of him, "No matter where you are from, no matter what family you came from, no matter what believes you were brought up with, no matter what race you are, you will always find happiness, no matter how hard or how impossible it may seem. This is why, at Potter Orphanages you are given the best accomidations, the best meals, the best clothes, the best toys you could ever want for, an allowance that you can use to buy what ever you wish for, and...an almost guarantee that you will find a new family, maybe they won't ever replace your own and I'm not asking you too, nobody is, but maybe a new family isn't so hard, and...as a bonus, a guarantee, whatever school you are accepted too, no matter where in the world, you will always, always, Sage, be allowed to attend there, all of you are guaranteed the best education money can buy, okay? There is absolutely nothing to worry about in regards to you being here at Hogwarts, mm?" Harry smiled completely now, head tilting as he patted the boys knee and waited for something. 

Sage swallowed and licked his lips, scrubbing his amber eyes of tears he hesitantly nodded his head in comfirmation. So, he was talking to THE HARRY POTTER? Founder of the Potter Orphanages and Hedwig's Orphanage? The one where Sage lived normally? And of course thousands of others much like him...He must look a wreck, he padded down his head all of a sudden and Harry's eyes widened slightly at the impulsive actions, the sniffles somehow gone and his face left blotchy red from crying. Harry smiled at the young boy, it almost seemed as if he'd become embarassed at his appearance, was that because...

The boy was scrubbing his eyes and face once more before Harry took pity and handed him a hankerchief he had in his pocket, clean of course. He heard another one or two clicks behind him again, but ignored these as well as he focused his whole attention to one of his resident orphans. "There isn't anything to be frantic over, calm down, take it easy, I'm nothing special, honest." 

"But your..." His breath was raspy and still quiet, perhaps he was naturally a quiet person? as he spoke breathily, for the briefest moments without the hankerchief across his face and covering his blotchiness. "your...him..." He pointed, the hankerchief clasped between his fingers. 

Harry nodded, "I'm Harry, sure. Of course. I'm an Eighth Year student of Hogwarts, and someone that likes to give children similiar to me happiness. So?" Harry smiled down at him, a wide smile, a happy smile, he felt a little embarassed even. 

Sage blinked back, scrunching the hankerchief in his hand, he blinked for several minutes as he seemed to process these strange words, "Oh?" Harry laughed a little at the small confused voice, but slipped back into the seat beside him, helped spin him around to face the table and nodded an apology on his tongue toward the headtable. Of course, for several minutes there was a strained silence as everyone's brained worked to catch up to the present. It appeared even Snape had stood to watch the unusual proceedings, in his aquired headmaster chair, McGonagall beside him in the Deputy's chair, Snape darks eyes seemed to hold a question that Harry somehow interpreted correctly and nodded too, allowing the man to sit back down and take his own goblet to his lips, though the dark eyes remained on the Gryffindor Table for the remainder of the Welcoming Feast, even though his eyes should be soley on the continuing Sorting Ceremony. 

. . .  
. . .

Several hours later... 

Harry was leaning his back against the armchair in which Draco sat, his legs crossed beneath him, both boys staring into the red and orange flames of the fire within the fireplace as their friends petted about and took up residence beside them to play exploding snape or some other such game Harry could really care less about; his mind kept supplying him with images of the war and it's aftermath, ever since he'd confronted that boy, Sage, in the Great Hall with everyone watching, mouths open, eyes widened, cameras flashing... "Potter." 

Tap 

Tap 

 

Harry angled his messy head until he was watching Draco upside-down, the boys' hand inches from his face, having tapped him moments ago of course. "Yeah?" Harry enquired, the blonde aristocrat, or former, was looking down at him with his grey eyes, intrigue and concern etched into his features, he wasn't the only one though, Hermione of course, who was still up at 11 pm, had a large tome in front of her, was looking at him the same way. 

"Are you sure you're alright, Harry?" 

"I'm fine." He closed his eyes briefly and felt the air shift through his lungs and out his throat distractedly. He was still curious if they could see through all of his glamours, but he guessed with the silence and the deafeningly absent screams, they probably couldn't see, and of course, he wasn't letting them, no matter how unguarded he may become with his distracted thoughts. 

"Was it that kid you were talking to? Did he set something off?" 

Harry kept his eyes closed and allowed Draco's hand to card through his fringe and take his glasses off, only to place them in his own lap as he spoke down at Harry's forehead, the faded scar on view. Malfoy was right of course but he didn't particuarly want to voice as such and kept his mouth resolutely shut. 

"Have you met him before?" He continued. 

Harry shook his head, though he can't have been sure. The cushions shifted beneath his head and the hand paused in his strands as he did so. "Oh..." It seemed the blonde wasn't sure what to say to the negative head shake, perhaps he really thought with the way Harry was acting, he had indeed met the boy before? 

BOOM!...."SNAP!" They both jumped at the shout so near and then settled down as they remembered where they were, that they weren't alone and that people were watching them, the other Eighth Year's in their ''no houses'' dormitory were watching them and their friends were playing exploding snap just to the left of them for the last 20 minutes. 

 

Chapter 3.


End file.
